


I'll wait for you

by daughter_of_thunder



Category: Teenage Bounty Hunters (TV)
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fluff, Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:13:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28395948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daughter_of_thunder/pseuds/daughter_of_thunder
Summary: Five times Sterling waits for April. Then one time she doesn't.Is this how you write these types of summaries? Just read it 😉
Relationships: April Stevens/Sterling Wesley
Comments: 13
Kudos: 99





	I'll wait for you

**Author's Note:**

> Sup gang. I'm back. I was going through the ringer these past two months but I have emerged victorious. got my masters and everything. 
> 
> I noticed people are writing less and it could be because of the end of the year and the holidays. No one owes us anything but we gotta keep the fandom alive. So I hope that we continue to inspire one another to nurture the plot bunnies that nibble us as opposed to letting them die. 
> 
> As Poe Dameron once said, "We are the spark that'll light the fire that'll burn the First Order (Netflix) down."

_1._

In fourth grade they take them to the Martin Luther King Jr. Historical Park. They spent the morning in his childhood home and the original Ebenezer Baptist Church, amongst several historical buildings.

April is both pleased and moved. This field trip beat last year’s dumb field trip to the World of Coca-Cola . No, this one is....poignant. Important. Significant. Especially because a young April Stevens has been learning all about MLK Jr this year.

Everyone assumes that MLK Jr is a important figure to Montgomery and Birmingham history but April is thrilled to find that he’s an Atlanta native. She talks about him all the time during dinner and her mommy and daddy always nod and smile.

“I want to be just like him.”

Her father laughs. “Sweet peach, I don’t think you can. The man already got them what they wanted.” April fails to see her father rolls his eyes as he scoffs. She’s too busy imagining a future where she fights for the rights of those marginalized and oppressed.

And so she’s standing here in awe of his tomb. She has so many words to share but has very little guts to say them out loud.

It could also be because her obnoxious classmates are all here.

“Ughh this is so boring!” Blair Wesley stomps rather loudly behind her. Next to her, a beefy Luke Cresswell stands awkwardly. “World of Coke was soooo much better,” he mutters under his breath.

“You got that right, Luke.” Blair picks at her white Willingham polo.

April’s ears pop. If she could just simply mute them out she would, but she can’t. They’re ruining her moment with her hero.

“Alright youngins, are we all ready for lunch?” Lunch?! They just got to his tomb a mere 2 min ago and now it’s lunchtime. The audacity of Ellen to bring that up!

“Yes!!!!!” The whole 4th grade class yells excitedly.

Ellen simply nods excitedly, “Alright, alright, settle. We are going just a little north here where there is a nice lawn so we can all have our sammies and our juice, mmkay.”

April wants to protest. She doesn’t need a sandwich. Eating is something that happens multiple times a day but being in the presence of Dr. King rarely happens in a lifetime.

“Idiots,” she says under her breath. Soon everyone starts walking out of the small pavilion, following Ellen toward the lawn ahead, but not her. April stays grounded.

Her plan is simple. She’ll find them later, she’s a smart girl. At least, smarter than all the dummies in her class. She couldn’t waste this precious opportunity.

She turns back to the tomb.

_“Free at last, free at last, Thank God Almighty I’m free at last”_

His words are liberating. Granted she doesn’t quite understand yet what she is being liberated from but April feels free. She closes her eyes. If she can’t verbally say the things she wants to say maybe she can pray and maybe God can bring those words to Dr. King.

Beside her though someone moves and it brings her out of her prayer. Her classmates are so annoying. She’s literally about to tell them to go eat their stupid sandwich when-

Oh, it’s just Sterling. Sterling smiles at her shyly. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I just saw you stay so I stayed too.”

“Oh, yeah, I wanted to spend more time here. Dr. King is right there,” April points back to the tomb in the middle of the reflection pool.

Sterling nods back. Sterling’s always like that. Never here, nor there. She didn’t complain like her sister or Luke but she also wasn’t excited like April.

“Don’t you want to go eat your sandwich? I just want to be here for a bit and then I’ll go to the lawn.”

Sterling shakes her head. “Nah, I’ll wait for you.”

April smiles back. Out of all her classmates, April likes Sterling the most. She’s a really good friend.April turns back to the task at hand and closes her eyes again. This time she doesn’t jump when Sterling slides her hand into hers.

* * *

_2._

Taylor Swift’s album 1989 drops on October 27, 2014 and it’s all Sterl and her have been talking about for months. It drives Blair and her father nuts.

They dance to Shake it Off in Sterling’s room whenever she’s over to study. April is bummed when Taylor announces the secret 1989 hearing sessions and she doesn’t live near one to even plan ways to get invited.

So you can say April is bummed when she can’t get a hold of a copy that day. She’s already been to 5 Targets and 5 Walmart’s and 5 Best Buy’s.

“I’m sorry baby girl but there are literally no more and I’m not wasting any more gas when I’ve already called all the stores at a 250 mile radius,” her father explains.

She wants to cry but she’s 10 and her father isn’t moved by her tears anymore. Looking sadly out the window of her moving car, she thinks about how she’ll tell Sterling she doesn’t have it.

Of course she can order it in iTunes and listen to it on her iPhone but she got a record player last year and the 1989 vinyl came in a pretty crystal clear and pink color. Sterling had texted her about an hour ago that her pre-ordered CD order was fulfilled. That one had the exclusive original voice memos for some of the songs.

When she gets home, she throws herself into her bed and cries frustratedly. She really wanted it and now she has to probably wait till Friday to get her parents to take her to the store again. When she calls Sterling the first thing she says is, “What happened? Did you get it?”

“No,” April replies disappointedly.

“Oh...that sucks.”

April sighs and whimpers, “I know.”

“Well then, I’ll wait for you. I’m sure by Friday you’ll have it and then we can listen to it together and I’ll call you like we planned.”

This is why Sterling is her best friend.

April gets 1989 on Thursday and that night both their minds are absolutely blown. 

* * *

_3._

It’s 6th grade and her mom is late to pick her up. Which in retrospect, is normal. Her mother is always late. Usually April knows to stick around to talk with Hannah B but this time the girl had been absent. Some sort of stomach flu or something.

In any normal circumstance, April would not be upset but it’s raining. It’s raining and she’s wearing a skirt. It’s raining, she’s wearing a skirt and she also is holding her Breastplate of Judgement Diorama. April wasn’t sure how else to shield it before it got completely ruined. Her mother is perhaps 8 minutes away but each second seems to last like an eternity.

Suddenly, the rain stops. Or so it seems. It’s Sterling. Sterling holding an umbrella. Sterling holding an umbrella and smiling at her.

April doesn’t smile back. Why would she smile back at a fake? Instead her left eyebrow shifts up questioningly. What could Sterling want from her?

“You don’t want to get your Breastplate wet.” Sterling is a try hard.

“Yeah, thanks.”

They haven’t talked much since she gave her away and April on her end isn’t going to start now. She almost preferred to continue getting wet than to be next to this unloyal girl.

She sideglances at her and Sterling is still staring at her, that is until something bumps into Sterling’s back which makes the girl’s umbrella hit her head and scratch her cheek.

“Owww!”

“Luke! You hurt April.” Oh it’s Luke. Of course it’s Luke. Luke and Sterling, middle school power couple.

“Oh, hey April. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there. I was just hopping over to see why my lovely girlfriend Sterli is out here in the rain.”

Sterling looks up at him with that stupid sickly sweet look. She decides to look straight ahead if she doesn’t want to vomit all over the PDA filled middle schoolers.

“April’s mom isn’t here yet and it’s raining,” the blonde says matter-of-factly. This time April does roll her eyes. This girl doesn’t care. Sterling does it to get “points for Jesus” or something.

“Oh well, I was hoping you could walk me to where my dad is parked. I went over my data plan again and my dad took my phone. I won’t be able to talk to you till tomorrow.” April doesn’t even have to look over at Luke to know he’s sporting the puppy eyed face he always resorts to around Sterling.

“You can go,” she says. It’s fine. She never depended on Sterling now anyways.

Sterling turns to look at her quickly. “No. I’ll wait for you.” The girl turns back to her boyfriend and quietly reaches out to brush his arm. “It’s okay Luke. I’ll see you tomorrow bright and early.”

Watching them kiss would be like willingly jamming thumbtacks to her eyes. April was saved anyways because as soon as Luke turns to leave, she spots her mom’s Lexus near the parking lot entrance.

She mumbles a thank you to her ex-best friend when she enters her Mother's car and calls it a day.

* * *

_4._

Who’s the idiot who left a hole in the dirt track?

It’s 8th grade and Coach Ramírez is making them run laps around the track. April excels at running. Well, she excels at everything. Stevens’ win.

“That’s what we do,” says her father at every chance.

It’s true. She’s already top performer in all her classes, already is well liked by all her classmates. Inspiring, remarkable, and beautiful. All characteristics she embodies. High school is going to be a walk in the park.

But right now, April is pissed. She’s angry because she was already so close to beating her mile run under 7 minutes when she stumbled on some stupid dirt hole and sprained her ankle.

It hurts like a motherfucker (Jesus forgive her for using foul language and her mother). She’s already plotting all the ways she’s going to have her Daddy call the board to fire the groundskeeper, when she turns back and sees that Sterling Wesley is catching up to her.

Damn it!

It could have been anyone else, but as if God above loves to constantly test her it’s always Sterling at her heels.

She breathes in deeply. Pulling herself up, and continues. The first step almost makes her yelp out in pain. It’s unbearable but she has to make it. Limping, she pushes forward. April makes it 10 steps when she has to pause again. It’s already 8 min, she already lost time to beat her record.

“Who’s the idiot who didn’t cover that big dirt hole?” Sterling is beside her, catching her breath.

April is in too much pain to agree or retort.

“You okay?”

April huffs in annoyance, “Does it look like I’m okay?”

Sterling laughs curtly, “Gosh you don’t have to respond like a bitch. I’m just trying to help.”

“Why did you stop? Coach Ramirez says he’s giving extra points to whoever comes first.”

Sterling shrugs smugly. “I’ll wait for you. I’ve never cared for PE. Plus you’re in pain. Stop being so stubborn and let me help. Don’t be a prideful King Naaman.”

It’s appropo that Sterling Wesley wants to morally and biblically outperform her. She doesn’t tell the taller girl that it’s beneath her to quote what they learned from their Fellowship leader yesterday and that she should come up with something more original. At least, not when the throbbing pain in her ankle is far louder than her bitchy mood.

April gives in and they both make it to the finish line together.

* * *

_5._

Sterling picks at her fries. She’s not really that hungry. Or maybe she’s not really hungry for fries. Sterling’s been craving Ramen for weeks but Luke doesn’t have an extensive international palate developed...yet.

In front of her, her boyfriend is scarfing down a big burger. It’s ridiculous how much he eats. But then again, Luke works out a lot and he’s pudgy but not fat. Just right for her.

She honestly loves him so much, which is why she’ll quell her ramen craving until they can both come to an understanding.

Something to her right catches her eyes. April is here. Has been here. She was in a booth with Ezekiel and Hannah B a few rows ahead from where she’s sitting.

They’re sophomores and Sterling still doesn’t quite grasp how they went from friends to enemies. Like who stuck a stick up her ass and how does she help get it out. April was cool, sorta is cool now in a bossy, bad bitch way. Taylor Swift would be proud. But what’s not cool is their relationship.

“You let her live rent free in your head, Sis,” is what Blair says to her all the time. It’s true, Blair’s not wrong.

She’d kept small tabs tonight. The Holy Trinity laughed and gossiped. Then a cop approached them. He looked like her could be in his late 20s/early 30s. Sterling deduced that he’d probably held his badge 5 years or something. The cop smiled at April specifically and whatever he was saying made her blush.

But not blush in the cute, flustered way she would when she was proud of herself or whenever she received praise from her classmates or teachers. No, this blush was more of the uncomfortable, flustered nature. He walked by their table several times and every time April looked down or away.

Eventually the three all got up to leave but April went back to the soda fountain. She was probably still thirsty and Sterling knewfrom the brief time they were best friends that the girl loved her some Mountain Dew. Sterling swears she saw the cop leave but instead he was now standing next to April. Rather closely too.

April is unnerved, which is something Sterling has never quite seen. The girl is looking frantically while the cop continues talking to her. She nods faking a smile. Ezekiel and Hannah B are long gone.

April moves and the cop is right behind her. That’s gross. Why can’t this guy let go. They’re 15 and he’s abusing his badge. Sterling’s eyesight follows April and the policeman until Sterling sees where April is heading.

The bathroom. She slams her coke on the table.

“Woah! Are you alright?” Sterling looks up briefly to Luke.

“I have to go the bathroom.” And before Luke responds she bolts. She speed walks across the restaurant right before April reaches out for the bathroom door.

“April! I was texting you. Mom let me borrow the car to pick you up.”

April states back blankly like she’s seen a ghost. Sterling widens her eyes at her. Get with the program, April.

“Oh! Sorry I haven’t checked my phone. I really gotta use the bathroom...sis.”

The bathroom is a single person stall, Sterling knows this. “Well go on ahead. I’ll wait for you.”

April nods at her. The policeman has been standing next to them, observing their interaction. It isn’t until Sterling stands by the door that closes behind her that she looks him up and down. Sterling looking sternly.

“Are you waiting for the bathroom too?” She asks pointedly.

The cop shakes his head. Sterling makes sure he walks out and jumps on his bike so she can text April that the coast is clear.

Behind her the door creeks open. April’s head bobs out, her eyes filled with fear.

“He’s gone.”

“Yeah.”

April sighs in relief. “What a creep. Thanks.”

Sterling nods in agreement. “Anytime.”

* * *

_6._

Sterling should have known that the moment she stopped waiting for April, she fucked up. It’s been a week since the whole kidnapping and she’s been in her bed most of the time. Sometimes she closes her eyes and feels her bed is floating in an abyss where only she exists.

Murphy’s law the day of the lock-in ruined her. She doesn’t speak to her parents. Sterling doesn’t even think they deserve to be called that anymore. Not when they failed her so badly.

She wants to run aimlessly to the end of the Earth but a few small things tie her here. One is Blair. Undoubtedly. Despite everything Blair still is her twin soulmate. And the other, well, is the girl who has been texting her for the past three days.

She still hasn’t answered her but April first starts with a simple “where are you?”, “what’s going on?”, and then it evolved to longer texts.

The last one she sent was short and simple again but it was lined with a threat.

***You better be at school on Monday. I’ll be waiting to talk to you.***

Monday does come around, but Sterling doesn’t feel like herself. She walks with no purpose. Blair clings to her, tries to protect her. What’s the use? Her heart is already broken into a million pieces.

April looks at her when she walks into Spanish class. Her head shifts trying hard to get a read on her but this Sterling is unrecognizable. She knows. She’s been trying to recognize this version of herself since Dana blurted the truth.

“Where can we talk?” April turns to her at the end of the class.

“The utility closet. Second floor.”

“Okay let’s go right now,” April grabs her things and looks over at Blair, silently asking for permission.

Her sister is desperate so she nods, despite knowing that this girl has the power to make or break her.

It’s lunchtime, so they only have about 35 minutes. They’re standing across from each other in the closet. The dam only breaks when April softly says, “Sterling, what happened?”

She wishes April hadn’t spoken to her like that. At least if the shorter girl was a bitch it might have been easier to shut herself off from her.

But the dam does break and the words just tumble out of her mouth: the heartbreak at the lock-in, kissing Luke, the kidnapping, Dana, the secret, the truth, bounty hunting, April’s father. Sterling notices at different stages that April gets closer and then gets farther away during the parts she doesn’t like.

Now they’re as equally distanced as they had started. And time is running out. It’s now or never.

Sterling is out of breath, snotty, and the endless amount of tears continue to flow. “But, arresting your father, I don’t feel as guilty of. He’s a bad man and that’s why I did what I did, but you want to know what I regret the most?”

April simply looks at her. Her eyes are bleary too.

“It’s that I didn’t wait for you. It’s that I made you believe I wasn’t going to wait for you to be out and that’s simply not true. April, I will always wait for you. And I....I need you. Now. My heart is broken into a million pieces and you make everything feel right.”

Sterling moves toward her. Her heart soars when the other girl stays in place. Carefully, she grabs at April’s shoulders.

“April, I’m asking you - no, I’m begging you to please allow me to wait for you. I’ll wait for you in this closet, forever if I have to. Please don’t ask me to go back to being your enemy, and I’ll be your friend outside until you’re ready. I’ll wait but just let me lo-“

April grabs her face and pulls her down. When their lips connect, her defenses drop. April kisses her oh so softly, like she’ll break. Sterling wonders when these kisses became her own personal brand of serotonin.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbles on the brunette girl’s lips. Their tears mix together along their cheeks, while April strokes her skin.

“I forgive you. Will you forgive me too?”

Sterling nods. All hell has broken loose but if she can have this one thing then her heart can be lighter.

She’ll wait for however long because April is worth waiting for.

* * *

_And one last one._

_7._

“Will you marry me?”

Sterling says it so softly that it’s almost a whisper. They’re 22 and it’s been a month since they’ve both graduated Emory. They’ve lived together since sophomore year of college.

Living with Sterling was hard at first, but then again April imagines living with anyone else is hard, period. Eventually they both compromise and get into the swing of things. They fall in love more and more each time.

Sterling makes her feel safe and loved and happy. So much so she comes out to everyone junior year of college and it goes much better than she had thought. Sterling’s family is supportive, and so are her friends. Her mom is sort of supportive too and that’s really all that matters.

She’s been accepted at Yale Law and Sterling...well Sterling doesn’t know exactly what she wants to do yet. Truth be told, April has been worried for months on what it’ll mean for them as a couple.

Which is why staring at the ring in the black velvet box in Sterling’s hand is surprising, to say the least.

She’s done everything right. April doesn’t like getting caught super off-guard. She likes privacy and dislikes grand gestures of romance. April needs to be warmed up and coached to that. April Pre-approved, is what Sterling calls it.

This is that. It’s her birthday and they had really nice, semi-fancy dinner. They’re in their room , where she was about to change but Sterling stopped her, hugged her and when they let go she had this in her hand.

The ring is...absolutely beautiful. It’s rose gold (14k she finds out later), with 4 diamond encrusted infinity loops and a pear shaped diamond in the middle.

“You don’t have to answer right now. I just...” April fails to realize that while she’s been reflecting she hasn’t given Sterling an answer. April has simply stared at the ring and who knows how long the silence has carried on. This whole time, Sterling’s head has rested above hers. The taller girls eyes simply peeking at her from above. The ring glistening underneath their heads.

“I know we are just 22 and that’s young and I know you have your reservations. I’ll wait for you if you don’t have an answer and you want to think about it. I just want to show it to you because I love you and it’s me saying that I’m ready and willing to spend the rest of my life with you.”

April smiles. Poor Sterling is rambling. April has been watching this girl wait for her for all her life. It would be unfair to her to have her wait some more. Not when she’s been so patient and willing with her. It’s time April stop having her wait.

“But you don’t have to answer, I’ll wait.”

“Yes,” April says.

“Yes?”

“Yes I’ll marry you.”

And Sterling gasps loudly, pulling back and reading her face. April smiles the brightest she ever has and laughs at the silly, surprised look her girlfriend is giving her.

“Yes?” She repeats.

April nods. “Yeah. I love you.”

And Sterling jumps giddily and let’s out a small excited scream. “Yesssss!”

Sterling quickly slides the ring onto her finger and smothers her with kisses. Her hands moving quickly, and deftly to remove all the clothing between them.

It isn’t until much later after they are in each other’s arms, sated and looking at the pretty ring, that Sterling sighs. “You’re gonna be my wife,” she breathes amongst her forehead as she places a lingering kiss there.

April smirks. “You’ve waited for that for a long time haven’t you.”

“Oofff yeah like Jacob waiting for Rachel, babe.” They both laugh.

“But I’d wait a lifetime or two if I knew I would get you at the end.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on tumblr: hija-del-trueno


End file.
